Automatic locking and fastening device for vaults



June 7, 1932. J. D. RENSHLER AUTOMATIC LOCKING AND FASTENING DEVICE FOR VAULTS Filed May 19, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E 302157: Zer

dttormq June 7, 1932. J RENSHLER I 1,862,064

AUTOMATIC LOCKING AND FASTENING DEVICE FOR VAULTS Filed May 19, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gn vcntoc 12 B67167: zt r Patented June 7, 1932 UNITED STATES P TEN "arm JOHNJ). RENESHILER, or rm'nLAY, oHIO auromrrcrocnme ann FASTENING nnvrcn ms, vAuL'rs Application filed May 19,

I This invention relates'to locking devices and more particularly to means forlocking a cover about a coffin or the like.

An object of this invention is to provide locking means for locking a cover about a coflin so as to provide an air sealed chamber withinwhich the cofiin is disposed.

Another object of this invention is to pro vide in a device of this kind means for locking thecover on the base of the device and simultaneously securing the article therein against movement.

A further object of this invention is to provide in a device of this kind means by which the closure may be opened or closed from a point disposed at one end of the device.

disposed A. still further object of this invention isto provide means for releasably holding the locking member in locked position so that it willnot readily become unlocked during the movement of the device. The above and various other objects and advantages of this invention will in part be described in and in art be understood from the following detailed description of the present preferred embodiment, the same being illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein I Figure 1 is a vault having a device constructed according to the preferred embodiment of this inven tion mounted therein; Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view partly in detail of the base showing the securing pin for securing an article on the base, and a Figure 3 is a fragmentary bottom plan View of the base and "showing in detail-the invention hereinafter described.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views, the numeral 10. designates generally the base of a cover or vault for a cofiin, the base 10 com- 5 prising a flat upper portion 11 having downwardly disposed sides 12 and end members 13 and 14, the end 13 comprising the rear end of the device, whereas the end 14 comprises the front end. A cover or vaultvmember 15 detail side elevation of alength of the sidewalls 12 and are adapted 17 by means of connecting links 28 so that is hingedly secured at one end thereof to the.

1931. Serial no. 588,511. p v

base plate 11 at the rear end13 thereofby means ofconventional hinges or the like.

v In order to securely lockthecover 15 on the base 10, I have provided a locking structure, generally designated as 16, which is disposed Within; the base 10 and engages the cover 15, so as to releasably seal thecover 15 on the base 10. This locking structure 16. comprises a pair of locking members 17. which are pivotallymounted on a bracket 18 carried bythe base 10 adjacenteach side wall 12 thereof and adjacent the forward end 14. The side walls 12 are provided with elongated sl' ts or openings 19 throughwhich oneend of each-locking member 17 "is ada ted to be projected for engagement in a note or recess 20 disposed in the sidewalls of the coverf or vault member 15. v i I An operating lever 2170f substantiallyL shaped construction is pivotallylmounted on the lower surface of the front wall 14 by operating lever 21. These links 23 are so connected that movement of the leg 24in one direction will swing both of the locking members '17 inwardly into released position, i i and movement in the opposite direction will swing the locking member 17- outwardly so as to engage in the recesses or keepers 20 carriedby the cover 15. Y A pair of centrally disposed locking members 25 are mounted in the sidewall members 12 at a'point substantially centrally of the to be projected through"slots 26 in the side walls 12 for engagement in keepers or notches 27' disposed inthe sidewalls of'the cover 15. These'centrall'ockin members 25 are connected'to the forward loc ing member when the-forward locking members 17 are rocked into either looking or released position, the central locking members 25will'b'e likewise locked into "the same relative 'posi-- tion.

' link 35.

, position by In order to securean article on the top of the plate or base 10, I have provided'a lock-' ing pin 31 which is secured to a rockable lever 32 mounted on a bracket 33 which is secured to the lower surface'of the plate 11;

This locking or securing pin 31 is adapted to be projected through a slot 34in the base plate 11 and to extend upwardly from the upper'surface thereof so as to engage the bottom of a coflin or. article disposed onthe top{ of the plate 11, v 4

11 order to rock the lever 32 coactive with the rockingofthe lockingmembers 17 and 25, the lever, 32 is connected to one of the locking members 17 by means ofa connecting In this manner, when the cover or vault 15 is lowered into closed position about the base 10, the rocking of the operating lever 21 will not only look the cover 15 on the base, 10 but will simultaneously lock or secure a cofiin on the top of the base plate 11, so thatmovement of the vault structure will not causethe coffin vdisposed therein to gage the cover for releasably locking the covmove either laterally or longitudinally.

In the operation of this device, the locking members 17 and 25, when in released p0- sit1on,.are disposed inwardly of the side walls, 12 and out of engagement with the notches-20 and '27, respectively, of the vault member 15. In this position, the operating member2l is disposed with one leg thereof outwardly of the frontlwall 14 and the looking. pin 31 is disposedwithin thehollow base 10, so that it w ll not interfere with the insertionor the removal of the coffin from within the vault 15. When it is desired to lock the vault 15 and to secure .thecofiin disposed therein against movement, both lateral and longitudinal, the operating lever 21 may be moved inwardly toward the front wall 14, 1

this movement rocking the inwardly extending leg 24 which coactively rocks the locking,

members 17 and 25 into locking position, so thattheouter ends thereof will be disposed in the keepers 20 and 27 respectively.

It will be obvious, from the foregoing, that a relatively simple locking means has been provided for releasably locking the cover of'an air sealedlvault,

As shown in the drawings, the lid or cover 15 is adapted to be held in upraised or open means 'of a brace member 36 which is plvotally secured atone end to the base structure 1O. I

It is, of course,- understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications beingrestricted only by the scope of the following claims.

I claim 1. A locking and fasteningdevice of the character described comprising in combina tion with a vault including a base and a cover,'a plurality of lockin members, means for pivotally mountingsaid locking members on the base, said base having openings there- -through whereby'to-perr'nit the projection of the locking members through the base, I

said cover ving registering openlngs adapted to receive the projected ends of the locking members, operating means forsaid:

locking members, means for pivotally-mounting said operating means on a marginal edge of said base, a fastening member, means for pivotally mounting said fastening member on the base, said base having an opening therethrough whereby to'permit the projection of the fastening member upwardl there-. through,.and connecting means w ereby to permit the rocking of said fastening member coactive with the rocking of saidlocking members. y a

' 2. In a vault construction includin a base and a cover, horizontally swingable docking means carried by the base and adapted to enmeans for simultaneous operation thereby.

.3. In a vault construction'including a base and acover, horizontally swingable locking means carried b the base and adapted to engage the cover or looking thereof and a ver- Z tically movable article holding member car-. ried by the base and adapted tohold an article disposed on the upper surface'of the base against movement, said holding membercomprising a securing pin, a bracketmounted on the base, means for pivotally securing said in on said bracket, said base having an openmg whereby to permit the pin to be projected therethrough, and connecting means connecting said pin with said locking means for simultaneous operation thereby.

4. In combination, a base member, a mem ber engaging the marginal edges of the-base and a secondmember engaging the upper" surface of the base, horizontally swingable locking means carried by the base and pro jectible throughsthe marginal edges of the I base for locking the first member on the base and a second locking member carried by the base and projectible through the uppersur-I face of the base whereby'to engage said sec- 0nd member, connecting means connecting said first locking means with said second locking means, and operating means whereby to simultaneously move said first and said second locking means into looking or released position.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my JOHN D. RENSHLER.

signature. 

